The strawberry season is in full swing, and here in the Lied Lodge kitchen we’re finding lots of tasty ways to serve this summer fruit. All of our berries come fresh-picked from the fields at Kimmel Orchard & Vineyard in Nebraska City, so they’ve traveled about two miles by the time they make their way to your plate. Local food tastes better!

Today I’ll share a recipe for LayeredStrawberry Dessert — it’s a classic. White cake, strawberries, sauce, and whipped cream. And if you don’t want to slave in a hot kitchen during these hot summer days, I’ve included some shortcuts to help speed things along for you. Enjoy!

A restaurant nestled in the middle of 260-acre Arbor Day Farm definitely has its benefits.
The benefit du jour: loads of fresh asparagus, fresh from our own backyard.

With anywhere from 30-80 pounds of perfectly crisp-yet-tender Arbor Day Farm asparagus being harvested and brought to the kitchen two or three days per week, the culinary team here at Lied Lodge is finding all kinds of great ways to prepare this seasonal treat for our guests.

Here at Lied Lodge and Arbor Day Farm, we make eco-conscious choices all around the property. It only seems natural that we’d serve up organic drinks in the lounge, too. Watch as I shake up an organic double chocolate martini for you:

These long, cold winter days call for comfort food, and today I’m sharing a recipe for a spectacular warm dessert: hot toffee pudding cake. We served this rich dessert at Lied Lodge on Valentine’s weekend. It’s easily prepared in two parts, and the end result is decadence in every bite.

For those of us in the Midwest, the month of August typically holds some of the hottest days of the entire summer. I’m not a huge fan of sweltering heat, but I do enjoy a cool dessert… and they taste even better on hot summer days.

Here’s a refreshing recipe for a summertime classic: Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream. Simply toss in any fruit from your garden or your local farmer’s market, and you’ve got the perfect remedy for the dog days of summer.

The hot days of summer call for a cool, refreshing drink. This simple recipe for Watermelon Sangria is a great way to use up one of summer’s signature fruits and keep your thirst quenched. It’s perfect for a summer barbecue or backyard party.

Summer’s in full swing, and with it comes an abundance of gorgeous, juicy vegetables fresh for the picking in your garden or at the farmer’s market. I like to incorporate all those fresh veggies into a colorful sweet corn and black bean relish. Serve it on top of fresh greens for a healthy salad or as a zesty dip with tortilla chips.

It’s the height of morel mushroom season in the midwest, and people everywhere are taking to the forest and the underbrush with great expectations of finding the mother lode of the delicious fungus.

Good luck to you!

Assuming you find enough morel mushrooms for at least one meal, I think this recipe for Morel Mushroom Frittatas will please your palate. It makes an excellent main dish for a weekend brunch with friends and family.